Heads Will Roll
by abbykaddabby
Summary: Karkat's a peasant with no name for himself and no chance of ever making it. His death is absolute. If anyone ever found out who he was, his head would be sure to roll. Gamzee's a Bard, born into it and not exactly living up to his title. He'd prefer to sit in the study and watch the executions all day. It bothers his father but, if it makes the boy happy. Royalty!stuck Human!stuck
1. Chapter 1

It is a cold night, late in December. A proud father stands over his wife and looks in awe at the baby boy in the crib. His baby. The second one they'd had. Kurloz was off at school along with Angelica at the moment but they'd be back in several months. They could celebrate then.

He kisses the mother's head and a smile begins to fight it's way onto his lips.

"He's beautiful." He whispers to her, but the woman doesn't move. He walks around to look at her and his eyes widen in horror. He backs up into her vanity and the resounding crash brings a group of servants in. The Bard is on the floor, knees brought up to his chest and staring at his beloved wife. Her black eyes stare at nothing. She's dead. The lady servants shake their heads and begins toward her. The man can only watch in horror as they carry his beloved out. He's broken, shattered. And almost nothing can clue him back together. Almost.

A baby's cry fights its way into his subconscious and the man snaps to attention. Crawling over to the crib he sees his baby boy, crying for his attention. With a broken smile he reaches into the crib and pulls the child out. The baby blinks his indigo eyes and lets loose another wail.

"Shhhhh, it's okay." He whispers softly to the boy. "Daddy's got you...it'll be okay." His own indigo eyes flash with distress as the child continues to cry. The child has no name. He decides to go with what his mother always wanted to call their first boy. "It'll be alright, my precious Gamzee, it'll be alright."

He backs up to a wall and puts the child to his chest. Patting his back he sings to the boy. It's a lullaby his mother had always sang to him.

"Hush, child, darkness will rise from the deep,

And carry it out into sleep, child.

Darkness will rise from the deep,

And carry it you down sleep.

Guiless son,

I'll shape your belief,

And you'll always know

That your father's a thief.

And you won't understand

The cause of your grief,

But you'll always follow

The voices beneath.

Loyalty, Loyalty

Loyalty, Loyalty

Loyalty, Loyalty

Loyalty, only to me.

Guiless son,

Your spirit will

Hate her.

The flower who married

My brother the traitor.

And you will expose

His puppeteer behavior,

For you are the proof

Of how he betrayed

Her loyalty.

Loyalty, Loyalty

Loyalty, Loyalty

Loyalty, Loyalty

Loyalty, only to me

Hush, child, darkness will rise from the deep,

And carry it out into sleep, child.

Darkness will rise from the deep,

And carry you down into sleep.

Loyalty, Loyalty

Loyalty, Loyalty

Loyalty, Loyalty

Loyalty, only to me

Guiless son,

Each day you

Grow older.

Each moment, I'm watching

My vegenace unfold.

For the child of my body, the

Flesh of my soul,

Will die in returning the birthright

He stole.

Loyalty, Loyalty

Loyatly, Loyalty

Loyatly, Loyalty

Loyatly, only to me

Hush, child, darkness will rise from the deep,

And carry it out into sleep, child.

Darkness will rise from the deep,

And carry you down into sleep."

He sang it quietly, not thinking of the words, but of how soothing the melody was. Gamzee's tears soon dry and the boy is back asleep. The Bard smiles and brushes back the baby's already copious amounts of raven hair it's so dark, that it almost looks indigo. Kissing the boy's forehead, he sets him back in the crib and brings up a chair to keep watch on the child.

_'No one will hurt this child, not so long as I'm here.'_

000

It's been six months, and another baby has been born! He is as well, a boy. It is late June and the baby is a bouncing, happy little bundle of joy. His mother coos at him over his makeshift cradle, the child's ruby eyes shining brightly up at her. The family is too poor to afford one but his father spent every scrap of their extra money to but wood so that he could build it.

She smiles when his chubby little hand fists around her necklace. It's an old family pendant, with their Symbol from when they still held power. The Symbol was a Cancer Sign with little crabs sticking out of the two holes. Their pinchers were raised as if they were ready to be on the attack or defense in an instant. The necklace was passed down by the men in her family for generations. Being the family's only child, her father adored her and passed it on to her.

She gently removes his tiny hand from it and unclasps it in the back. Brushing his hair out of his eyes, she reaches around his neck and clasps it back. The curious boy almost instantly picks it up and stick is into his mouth. Pulling back she smiles and takes it out of his mouth.

"No, no. No chewing on it." She giggles and ruffles his hair, standing and going to start the noon meal. Her husband comes in a few minutes later and sighs tiredly. The worn expression on his face vanishes almost as soon as he hears the baby's happy gurgle. He walks over to the crib and picks up the child.

"Why, hello, Lad! I missed you today!" The baby boy giggles and reaches for the man's messy bangs. The man laughed and shook his head, "No, no, my boy! Can't have you ripping your father's hair out, now can we?" He pecked the boy's cheek and set him back down into the crib, walking over into the kitchen and wrapping his arms around his wife. "I missed you as well."

She looked up at him and let loose a dazzling smile.

"Easy to see where he gets his smiles from." The man smiled back and pressed his lips to her forehead.

"And where he gets his charm." She laughed and sighed, "We'll see some day if he's as good a cook. Or if he gets his ability to burn everything he makes from you. Meanwhile, I need to make sure these don't burn. Can't afford to waste." The man pulled back with a nod and another smile.

"I'll let you get to it then!" He sauntered back over to the boy and bent over to pick him up, stopping when he heard a knock at the door. Frowning he stepped over to open it.

As soon as the door was even partially open it flung back on its hinges and ten of the royal guard barged in. Wanting to know what was happening, the baby boy's mother walked into the room.

"Stradford Vantas?"

"Why, yes that would be me." The guard in lead snapped his fingers and instantaneously two others stepped forward and seized him. "What are you doing?! Remove your hands from me!" His red eyes flashed with confusion. He is shoved to the ground with another snap and the guards laid waist to him with kicks. The woman lets out a horrified squeak, but is silenced when the guard shoots her a glare that could freeze fire.

He is picked back up when the leader thinks he's had enough and his head is hanging towards the ground. The woman rushes to stand in front of her child's cradle and the guard lets her go with a disdainful sniff.

"You are under arrest for the murder of Lady Catrine Kamadeva as under order of the Bard Gingo Kamadeva."

The guards drag the man out of the house and the mother sinks to the ground, sobbing. Her baby lets out a curious gurgle and she turns to him before snatching him out of the cradle and burying him in her arms.

The child is confused. One minute, his mother was smiling and laughing, his father there as well. The next, his father is gone and his mother is crying. He doesn't know who those men were or why they took his father. All he knew was that his mother was crying and that she needed him. He gurgled quietly and made a sound that almost sounded like purring. The pulled him back with a sad giggle and kissed his forehead before bringing him back to her chest.

"Mumma's got you now, Karkat, Mumma's got you."

What feels like an hour later, her older boy walks in. She's still crying and her child drops to his knees beside her. He's about eight. He pushes her head up to look at him.

"Mum?! What's wrong?!"

"They...they took him...they took your father."

"What?! Who?! Why?!"

"The...the royal guard...said...that he killed Lady Catrine..."

The boy's candy red eyes flash with uncontrollable fury.

"But he didn't!"

She smiles and reaches over to ruffle her son's hair, the baby sleeping peacefully on her chest.

"You and I know that, Kankri, but do they? Probably. Gingo...Gingo just wants someone to blame."

The boy growls and flings his arms around his mother.

"It's not fair!" He wails, startling the baby awake and bringing a set of perturbed cries. She sighs and rubs his back.

"I know, baby. I know."

"I want to hurt them. Bad."

Her eyes widen.

"I now see the path to our glorious return, to power."

"But, I don't want-"

"_Hush!_ Hush, my little one; you must be exhausted."

She sat up and placed the baby back into his cradle.

"Sleep, my little Karkat,

Let your dreams take wing.

One day when you're big and strong.

You will be a king.

Good night...Good night, my prince," the woman whispered as he curled up into his crib.

"I've been exiled, persecuted,

Left alone with no defense.

When I think of what that brute did

I get a little tense.

But I dream a dream so pretty

That I don't feel so depressed

'Cause it soothes my inner kitty

And it helps me get some rest.

The sound of Gingo's dying gasp.

His daughter squealing in my grasp.

His little children's mournful cry,

That's my lullaby.

Now the past I've tried forgetting,

And my foes I could forgive,

Trouble is I knows it's petty,

But I hate to let them live."

"So you found yourself somebody who'd chase Gingo up a tree!" Kankri joined in.

"Oh, the battle may be bloody, but that kind of works for me.

The melody of angry shouts!

A counterpoint of painful yowls.

A symphony of death, oh my!

That's my lullaby."

"Stradford's gone... but Mumma's still around,

To love this little lad.

'Till he learns to be a killer

With a lust for being bad!"

"Sleep, ya little termite!

Uh- I mean, precious little thing!" Gingo exclaimed, looking over his brother's crib.

"One day when you're big and strong, you will be a king!

The pounding of the drums of war

The thrill of Karkat's mighty roar!

"The joy of vengeance!"

"Testify!"

"I can hear the cheering!"

"Karkat! What a guy!"

"Payback time is nearing

And then our flag will fly

Against a blood-red sky

That's my lullaby!" She finished the song with a grin and petted her son's head. "Mumma loves you. Remember that."

000

Karkat's eyes flashed open. He'd had that same dream every night for the past sixteen years of his life.

**A/N:Sooooooo yeah! This is what I do with my life...hahahaX3 I actually like this one! Hope you guys did too! And if you did, read, review, like/follow, ooooooor do whatever you want! Hah, see you guys next chapter!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry for the wait! I hope I haven't upset you all too much;)! Going back and rereading this I have found so many mistakes...-hangs head in utter shame and humiliation- This chapter will be much MUCH better! I promise! So go ahead and read for yourself!**

Karkat breaths heavily, the sweat making his bangs cling to his forehead. He soon calms, his breathing becoming slower and much less urgent as he closes his eyes again. His door opens, exposing his brother who's now leaning against the door jamb.

"Get up, termite. We have work to do."

He groans, sighing softly as he props himself up on an elbow.

"Do you ever knock, you arse? Get out and I'll be up soon to break fast..."

"No. I said get up now. If I leave, you and I both know you won't get up till the morrow."

He sighs again, sitting all the way up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

"Fine! Fine. I'm coming. Now, get on so I can dress." His brother nods slowly, shutting the door and heading down the stairs.

"If I come back to find you sleeping, you'll get more than a lashing!"

He rolls his eyes, standing up and slowly popping his joints as he mocks his brother's tone and words.

"'If I come back to find you sleeping, you'll get more than a lashing.' What an _arse_..." Karkat sighs, rubbing his ruby red eyes before opening the chest at the foot of his bed. He quickly pulls on his stockings and breeches, slipping on an off white long sleeved shirt before fastening on his black vest and shoving his feet into his boots. Tightening the strings and shoving them into the top after tying them, he gets up and pulls his father's hat, now his, on over his bird's nest of black hair. He pops his back again, smiling softly before scowling as he makes his way down the stairs.

Kankri looks up as he enters, nodding in approval. His brother's eyes narrow as he catches the look, the younger turning his head to snap at him as he passes.

"Done staring, arse? I thought we had work to do."

"That we do. You know the rebellion will die if we aren't here to stoke her." Karkat rolls his eyes as his brother's matching ones glow with the pride they always do when he speaks of their mother's long awaited dream. "I need you to carry word to Mituna Captor. Don't look at it, just do it, understand?" He smiles as his brother nods slowly, patting his shoulder. "Good boy. After we break fast you must carry it. Now sit, sit, I've already made it."

Karkat slowly sits in the wooden chair, looking around their humble abode. He eats the grits set down in front of him at a snail's pace, not wanting to rush what was likely to be the biggest meal he'd eat that day. As he finishes, he takes the letter offered to him by his brother, opening their door.

"Goodbye, brother, I will see you for the noon meal!"

Karkat nods to him, heading out.

"Oh, and, Karkat!" He stops, turning back to look at him. His brother smiles, looking up from the dishes. "Do make haste with that letter." He nods once more, giving him a short lived smile before leaving and shutting the door behind him.

He walks swiftly down the roads to the other side of town, his head down as he nears the Captor home. At the bottom of the stairs, he is stopped, a hand on his shoulder. Turning to find one of the royal guard, he feels his heart catch in his throat.

"Where are you going at such a swift pace, son?" The man frowns, his eyes stopping on the paper in his hands.

"J-Just taking word from my brother to a friend, sir. He told me to hasten back." The man nods slowly, frowning more as he reaches for the paper.

"Let's see it then. Come now, give me the paper." Karkat slowly puts it in his hand, a dreadful feeling in the pit of his stomach as the man's eyebrows shoot into his hair line upon reading it. "Oh ho, now this is something. I believe you're to come with me, Mr. Vantas. We will see what the Captain thinks of this." He grabs Karkat's wrist, dragging the boy off to a group of other officials.

000

On the complete opposite side of the small village inside the Castle Cielo, named after the Heavens above in the Bard's first language, sits a boy around the same age as Karkat. He looks bored from his window in the study, watching the executions by the guillotine below him. As the heads roll one after the next, one mop of raven hair stands out to him. He frowns softly, his indigo eyes narrowing in something close to hatred as he runs down the stairs. Throwing the doors to the courtyard open, he calls a command as the charges are read.

"Stop!"

000

Karkat looks up at the wooden death machine before him, watching the shine of the blade fall over and over until finally his neck is placed in the holder and his head bows.

"The man Karkat Vantas is to be executed on the charges of treason! Being found with plans to–"

"Stop!"

Every person still alive in the courtyard looks up as the doors are thrown open and the magnificently dressed teenage child of the Bard stands before them.

"Stop what you're doing! This one is mine."

"I-I'm sorry, sir, but you can't d–"

"I'm sorry. Did I _ask_ what I could and could not do? No. Release him. This one is mine."

Karkat blinks a few times, thoroughly surprised. The executioner shakily removes the padlock holding him, pushing him up and towards the Bard's son.

"You heard him. You're his now."

He stumbles, catching himself as he lands in front of the boy and going down on a knee, still holding his father's old hat tightly in his hands. He bows his head, waiting there.

"Stand. And follow me." Turning to the executioner, the boy smiles. "Carry on with the show. Others are watching besides me."

**A/N:Alright kiddies! Guess time! Anyone think they know why Gamzee saved KK? Any ideas at all? Well leave them in the form of reviews! Not a very long chapter, was it? I'm sorry! I just didn't want to give too much away too soon! I love you all and hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

**~AbbyKaddabby~**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Big thanks to Blueyay kyouko68 and for humoring me by reviewing! Another thanks to 3MM4-M4K4R4 for favoriting and following! Also thanks to klbootes for following! Means a lot to me! Know for chapter five! I'm listening to Elvis at the moment so I'm sorry if you don't think it's the appropriate tone for the story^.^! But this is how I work. Enjoy!**

The Bard's son turns, quickly vanishing back through the doors without bothering to see if the still shocked Karkat was following or not. He quickly gets to his feet, scrambling to follow him in as the door shuts immediately. He follows the boy through the halls of the castle, knowing he'd be desperately lost without his slightly hostile guide. As they reach the study the taller teen walks straight through the door, shutting it as soon as the much smaller boy was in and glaring softly at him.

"Sit down."

Karkat nods, quick to do so as he sits straight in the chair.

"Now. Do you know who I am?" He circles the chair, much like a predator circling its prey. Karkat nods slowly, swallowing before answering.

"Y-You're Gamzee M-Makara, youngest son of the Bard, Gingo Makara."

"Very good. You know, I know who you are too." His voice is soft, as if he were trying to lull the tense boy in the seat into a sense of calmness and security.

"Y-You do?..."

"Oh yes. I do. You _must_ be Karkat Vantas. Your older brother's name is Kankri. And your mother's name is Alyss." His tone switches from soft to a biting matter-of-fact as he stops in front of him.

"...there is no 'is.' My mother is dead." Karkat frowns as the older boy laughs and shakes his head.

"You really are daft. Your mother isn't dead. Your mother is my mother now."

"Wh-Wha–"

"Stop talking!" He snaps the command out, his eyes blazing as he once more paces around him. "My 'mother' hates me. She hates all three of us. She used to always talk about _you _though. How special you were to her. How great you were sure to grow up to be. And, especially when I made her cross, how much more she loved you than me. Even though all she knew about you was that you were her child, born to her. I wonder how she'll feel when she discovers you're now mine? That I can break you like any other play thing the second I tire of you? Oh, it'll be good. She'll finally understand how much it always hurt. How much it always hurt when she talked about how _you _were the favorite! EVEN THOUGH SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW YOU!" By this time, the teen is in hysterics, pointing at him every time he wanted to make a point as the tears roll down his cheeks. He falls to his knees, glaring up at him. "I hate you, Karkat Vantas. And one day, I'm going to kill you." He looks back to his hands as he begins muttering to himself, his head twitching every now and then. He suddenly begins screaming, gripping his head as he begins to shake it. "No! No not now! Not now not now not now! Go away!"

Karkat blinks, having not said a word through all of it. As the boy much bigger than him breaks down like a small child, he can't help it as he gets to his knees beside him and gently wraps his arms around him. Karkat pulls him close to him, holding on even as the other boy's fists began to painfully pound his chest. He rubs his back, rocking him as he begins to calm down.

"Shhhhhhh...shhhhhhhh...it's okay...shhhhhhh..." He closes his eyes tightly as he feels the boy slump against him, resting a hand on the back of his head as the other continues to rub his back. After a few minutes, the older boy shoves him away, looking throughly shocked and slightly upset.

"Why did you do that."

"Wh-Why did I do what?..."

"Why did you help me. You could have killed me then. Or ran away. Or just sat there and waited for it to be over. But you helped me...why."

"Oh...I...I don't know. It was the right thing to do, I guess." He looks down, not really sure himself why he did it.

He nods slowly, the answer satisfying him as he stands up and offers him a hand.

"...maybe you aren't as horrid as I thought...come with me. We will see." He pulls the smaller boy up as soon as he takes his hand, not letting go as he drags him down the hall to his quarters.

**A/N:Daaaaaaaaang, Gamzee! Mood swings, bro! Anyway! Hope you guys enjoyed! If you did leave a review, follow, and favorite my story(or possibly me too?^.^!) Anyway! If you want more you gotta tell me! I will not deny if done so! Love you guys! Caio!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: ^.^! I love you guys so much! It makes me so happy and really inspires me to write more when I get all of your feedback! So at request from blueyay, I continue on! Chapter four!**

Kankri paces the stage of the pub anxiously as the men file in, waiting for news. Once they're all there, he puts on a teary-eyed expression and addresses them.

"Men, today we have lost a dear comrade, my younger brother Karkat." He takes a moment to let the gasps of shock and cries of dismay die down before speaking again. "He was caught today carrying a vital piece of information to the Captors." He begins to pace again, looking more and more upset as he shakes his head. "I tried to tell him not to, that it was too dangerous. I tried to say I would handle it. But, as the brave man he was, he insisted anyway. He was executed today in the square. I saw it with my own eyes." Kankri suddenly stops, looking out over and above them. "But let his death not be in vain! Let us prepare even more vigorously than before! Let us fuel the fires of this rebellion with our hatred of this cruelty and with our defiance to let any more of our innocents be slain! His death was tragic but I won't allow it to be for naught! Let us work to avenge the death of this man, our brother!" He raises a fist in the air as he's done, listening to the roar of the crowd below him on the floor. As he turns to leave, he looks truly apologetic. "I'm so sorry, brother...but it had to be done. Their motivation was dying."

000

Karkat sits in Gamzee's room, his back slumped against the chair as the indigo eyed boy rang a bell to call up the tailor. Minutes later a girl walks in, a little older than both of them. She bows her head before looking up and locking eyes with him.

"What can I do for you, Gamzee?"

"I need you to make clothes for Karkat. He'll be staying with us for some time."

Her mouth drops slightly but she quickly hides her shock.

"Karkat...Vantas? As in one of Lady Alyss's lost sons?"

"Yes. But you are not to inform Mother of this. You will leave that to me." He flops back on the bed as she nods, closing his eyes.

She beckons for him to stand, swiftly taking his measurements as soon as he does and recording them.

"Any color preferences?" Before Karkat can open his mouth, Gamzee cracks an eye open, speaking quietly, but forcefully.

"Red."

She nods, rolling her eyes before turning to look at Karkat. He mouths '_Gray_' to her and she nods again before leaving.

"I will have them done in two morrows. Until then, he will have to wear what he is now, or something of yours."

Gamzee nods, showing he'd heard before waving her away.

"Now, get out."

She nods slowly, backing out of the room and shutting the door behind her.

The taller boy motions for him to sit next to him before he cracks open an eye.

"You know...we look very much alike."

Karkat blinks at this, shocked. The bard's son steers his gaze to a mirror with both shone. The red eyed boy nods slowly as he notices the striking resemblance.

"Y-You're right..." He smiles while the other scowls, quickly plastering on his own. The bard's child finally smirks, nudging the other. Karkat can't help it as he laughs softly and nudges back.

Gamzee finally notices the state of his clothes and nudges him to get up. After he does so the taller follows and crosses to his wardrobe, looking through it for an outfit suitable for his size. He finally finds one, the fabric's colors indigo and dark blue.

Karkat slips them on, admiring how they complimented his skin, despite the fact that they were sort of loose. He didn't notice the mischievous smirk of the other that quickly disappeared as his hand made a brief contact with his rear in the form of a slap. The red eyed boy yelps in surprise, jumping back. He blushes brightly at the sound of snickering, hanging his head and lowering his eyes.

"Sh-Shut it, ar–"

"**_GAMZEE MAKARA_**!"


End file.
